The U.S. Apple Association announced the newest members of its leadership development program, the NextGen Apple Fellowship. Seven fellows from across the country have been selected to participate in the 2025 class: Julieta Castillo of Superfresh Growers, Zachary Cohen of Cohen Produce Marketing, William Gant of CMI Orchards, Theresa Kober of Riveridge Produce Marketing, Tyler Mooney of Stemilt Growers, Shelbi Perkins of BeeHero and Marshall Saunders of Saunders Bros.

NoKota Packers Inc. announced the celebration of the company’s 45th anniversary as it closed out a successful year and launched a new logo Jan. 1.

Founded in 1979, NoKota Packers shipped 220,000 hundredweight of potatoes and employed 18 employees in its first season. Forty-five years later, the company has more than doubled in size — working with nine different growing operations, shipping over 600,000 hundredweight of potatoes

Holly Chapple, who will share her expertise and tips for wedding florists during the Details University Live Session in January, offers a wide range of enriching learning experiences for both floral professionals and enthusiasts alike. At Hope Flower Farm in Virginia, Holly hosts hands-on workshops, including seasonal design classes and floral retreats.

Consumers are tired of the long dark blues of winter. The chilling days of freezing temperatures can bring on colds, flus, pneumonia or other types of respiratory illnesses. It’s time for the vitamin C in winter citrus to come to the rescue.

Fire and winds, smoke and ashes became part of the Southern California landscape for the past two weeks following a series of fires that first appeared on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in western Los Angeles County. Two weeks later, the two largest fires (Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the hills and mountains southeast of L.A.)  are still burning with close to 40,000 acres having been scorched.

The Fresh Direct Produce Group, a leader in the distribution of ethnic, organic and conventional produce, has come to an agreement to sell Mike & Mike’s, an organic fruits and vegetables distributor based in Vaughan, ON, to Mike Fronte, one of the company’s original founders.

This strategic move supports Fronte’s desire to return to the organic business he co-founded in 2004, while allowing the Fresh Direct Produce Group to focus on its broader growth plans.